“Are you able to hit that leap once more?” I ask photographer Brooks Curran, who, I’m discovering, can be a really gifted mountain biker.
“Yeah, no downside,” he responds, undeterred by how huge these filth jumps are. The final time he went off the leap, I missed the shot with the GoPro HERO13’s new burst slo-mo function. That was OK, although, as a result of Brooks may hit these jumps all day lengthy, desperate to get the right shot.
This fall, I joined GoPro to check the brand new GoPro HERO13 ($399) in Tennessee’s Nice Smoky Mountains for every week of mountain climbing, working, helicopter using, and, as I not too long ago skilled, experiencing terror within the leap line on the native mountain bike park.
At first look, the GoPro HERO13 seems to be the identical as each GoPro launched up to now 5 years. And never for nothing; the HERO13 even has the same-sized sensor because the HERO12.
However after performing extra in-depth testing in Colorado, I’ve to say that the GoPro HERO13 presents itself as a transparent jump-up in high quality in comparison with earlier generations of GoPro and different motion cameras.
In brief: The GoPro HERO13 improves high quality total, due to its new lenses. With the Macro Lens and ND filters, the HERO13 ventures into rather more cinematic territory than different motion cameras. The added movement blur and depth of subject results enabled by the brand new lenses broaden the capabilities of the GoPro considerably, and permit it to realize a broader vary of video. However, these new advantages include just a few downsides. For a deeper dive on this overview, take a look at my video overview above!
Evaluation: GoPro HERO13 In-Depth Testing and Comparability
New for the HERO13, GoPro introduces plenty of new options: HLG HDR Video, a burst slo-mo function that permits slowing footage down as little as 720p 400 fps (though the video high quality is subpar at this setting), improved battery with higher thermal administration, GPS capabilities, magnetic latching system popularized by competitor DJI, a steady charging accent, and a Lens Mod auto-detection setting.
For my part, except for the slo-mo (as a result of the slo-mo is fairly cool) there aren’t too many main updates to the within of the digicam. It has the identical 8:7 sensor that the HERO12 had, in any case.
I’ve stated in my Motion Digital camera evaluations up to now that we’ve got reached a plateau in motion digicam improvement. From one 12 months to the subsequent, it’s getting more durable and more durable to see variations in these cameras.
I do assume there nonetheless is plenty of innovation outdoors of flagship fashions from giant manufacturers like GoPro. As an example, Insta360 is pushing the boundaries of how small an motion digicam can go. And 360-degree cameras are nonetheless bettering and supply some very spectacular photographs. They’re my go-to choice for POV footage for vertical video.
But, in my testing, GoPro’s new lenses actually elevated the image high quality and capabilities over the prevailing GoPro, extending its use into rather more cinematic territory. That is one thing GoPros haven’t been in a position to accomplish till now.
New Lenses: GoPro HERO13 Evaluation
Along with the digicam, GoPro additionally launched ND filters ($70), a Macro Lens ($130), and an Anamorphic Lens. As of October 2024, the Anamorphic Lens hasn’t been launched, so I’ve but to check that. However the demo footage of that lens seems to be fairly spectacular — as most advertising content material from GoPro does.
There’s additionally a brand new Extremely Huge Lens Mod, $100, however I’m not a giant fan of how that lens performs, particularly when in comparison with 360 cameras just like the GoPro MAX. If you wish to go actually huge, I like to recommend a 360 digicam.
To accommodate all of those lenses, GoPro additionally launched a brand new auto-detect setting. Which means in the event you screw on the Macro Lens, your GoPro will detect it, and regulate its settings by itself. It makes utilizing these lenses a lot simpler. This function actually shines with the ND filters, the place your digicam will let you know in case you have the right ND filter screwed on, or if you must step up or down an ND filter.
What’s an ND filter, you ask? ND stands for Impartial Density, and what these filters allow videographers to do is cut back the quantity of sunshine that enters the digicam.
That is useful for videographers as a result of when capturing in sunny settings or particular lights, decreasing the quantity of sunshine getting into the digicam lets you decrease your shutter pace to raised align with the fps you’re capturing with. This leads to an image that may typically give a cinematic movement blur that’s pleasing to the attention.
In-Depth Testing: GoPro HERO13 Macro Lens, ND Filters, Burst Slo-Mo
With the brand new digicam, three particular options actually shine: the Macro Lens, Burst Slo-Mo, and the aforementioned ND Filters. I examined out all of those options in-depth and shot comparability footage with and with out the options enabled.
These are the explanations I feel the GoPro HERO13 is price investing in, even when most of those updates don’t have something to do with the digicam physique itself.
Macro Lens
The Macro Lens Mod permits customers to get actually close-up photographs with a refined “bokeh impact” (the smooth blurring of the background so your eye simply focuses on the topic).
The lens has an adjustable dial on prime with a flower for up-close photographs and an individual for far-away photographs. Professional tip: I like to recommend utilizing silver Sharpie on the main target ring so you possibly can inform when the ring is on “flower” or “particular person.”
In my expertise, the “particular person” setting places the whole lot in focus, very similar to how a daily GoPro works. The flower makes issues 11cm away in focus. With the lens, GoPro has a spotlight peaking choice that may flip sure elements of the view display in a colour define that tells the person what’s in focus.
Initially, I didn’t discover this lens very intuitive to make use of. It’s laborious to inform what’s out and in of focus, even with the main target peaking enabled. I even tried this lens synced with the Quik app on my telephone to hopefully get a greater concept of what was in focus. And, even with my telephone’s bigger display, I had a tough time telling what was in focus. Anticipate some trial and error to search out eventualities that give you the results you want.
Even with the person difficulties, I admire that this lens achieves depth-of-field on an motion digicam, one thing that hasn’t actually been obtainable for motion digicam customers. Basically, motion cameras make the whole lot in focus, which ends up in actually detailed, however typically instances, boring imagery.
My favourite makes use of with this lens had been detailed photographs of small issues and videoing folks’s faces up shut. I actually favored the distinction this lens produced with the background.
I additionally wished to see if this could possibly be used for vlogging eventualities — image a YouTube video of somebody speaking behind a desk. However it didn’t actually work for that. The bokeh impact didn’t happen until you held the digicam proper in entrance of your face, which isn’t my favourite shot.
However apparently, after I examined this outdoors, the place maybe there was extra flexibility in focus, colour, and film, I used to be in a position to admire extra of a bokeh impact. In my expertise, the depth of subject was higher utilized when the topic was in movement or when capturing outdoors.
Burst Slo-Mo
Burst Slo-Mo was one other considered one of my favourite options on the HERO13. It lets you shoot a lot increased fps than the digicam usually permits. With this function, the GoPro solely takes a brief “burst of a video,” relying in your settings.
At 5.3K120, the very best decision with this mode, the shot solely lasts 5 seconds. On the different settings, it’s 15 seconds lengthy. I liked this setting, because it allowed me to get some actually cool gradual photographs. On the 5.3K setting, it was typically tough to get the timing proper, nevertheless it wasn’t too unhealthy as soon as I, and my affected person mountain biking pal, bought the dangle of it.
GoPro may already shoot at 2.7K 240 fps with the HERO12, however getting even slower, the burst slo-mo function permits customers to get as little as 400 fps. However be aware that at 400 fps, you need to shoot at 720p, which may typically produce grainy and fewer detailed imagery. The final setting for burst Slo Mo is 900p and 360fps.
And for comparability, the DJI Osmo Motion 5 shoots at its slowest at 1080p and 240fps.
ND Filters: A Should Have
At first, the impact the ND filter applies appears to be fairly refined. However after watching my footage time and again, I now significantly admire how these ND filters change my footage.
The ND filters utilized a slight quantity of movement blur to my footage, which I believed actually elevated the standard and really feel of my footage. I discovered the ND filters work greatest when capturing any quantity of movement, however they actually shine when there’s a topic within the body that’s regular and the background is shifting.
In evaluating footage of myself biking with the GoPro dealing with my handlebars, with footage of myself biking with the GoPro held on a selfie stick and pointing at me, the footage pointing at me had a means cooler blur impact and helped give it that cinematic really feel. The shot dealing with my handlebars nonetheless had some blur, nevertheless it was extra refined.
I feel these ND filters assist deal with one concern I’ve had with GoPros principally since its inception. The difficulty is that GoPros usually make the whole lot in focus, and have an especially sharp image.
It’s nice for stills from video or images, nevertheless it additionally makes the video seem too detailed, nearly as if it lacks emotion — which is a bizarre option to describe my POV mountain biking footage. However most movies attempt to elicit some emotion from the viewer.
After a fast search, aftermarket ND filters have existed for GoPro cameras already, however utilizing these required customers to manually regulate the publicity and settings within the digicam. The HERO13 mechanically does this for you with the GoPro ND filters due to the nifty auto-detect lens setting.
GoPro HERO13 Evaluation: Drawbacks
After testing this digicam for the previous month, I’m impressed with the brand new capabilities it gives. However there are downsides.
I’m slightly upset that every one of those options are principally add-ons that require buying a brand new GoPro. For instance, the HERO13 battery solely matches on the HERO13 digicam, so in case you have a bunch of outdated batteries, these received’t work right here.
Then, the brand new lenses don’t match on older cameras. It will be nice if GoPro may have designed the lenses to be backward appropriate and launched some form of firmware replace for the digicam for lens detection. I think about there’s most likely a bigger design purpose for why these lenses don’t match on the outdated GoPros, nevertheless it actually seems like the corporate is luring you into shopping for the brand new HERO13 so you too can use the lenses.
However I get it; the corporate is making an attempt to promote cameras right here.
Ought to You Purchase the GoPro HERO13?
If you will get previous the annoying half that these lenses aren’t backward appropriate, I feel the HERO13 continues to be a formidable little digicam. I wouldn’t precisely advocate shopping for a brand new HERO13 until you propose on additionally buying some lenses, as a result of the HERO12 and 11 shoot lots adequate.
However, for the HERO13, GoPro managed to noticeably up the video high quality and breadth of photographs somebody can get with the discharge of those lenses. It’s why I just like the HERO13 a lot greater than the 12 and 11, even when the insides of those cameras aren’t that completely different.
If you need to study extra concerning the GoPro HERO13, I like to recommend trying out my video overview included on this article.
